Wine And Beer

Growing Top Quality Grapes

Have you ever thought about growing your own grapes but were just unsure how to get started? You will learn everything there is to know on how to develop a fruitful vine. It's all about your passion, and determination to succeed. To grow a healthy bearing vine requires a lot of patience and nurturing.People have the impression that you need a large acreage of land to grow grapes, however that is not the case. If you are not considering to make it an occupation, growing a vine in a small area of the garden can be very successful. The key is patience. Full sun is required and it may take as long as 3-4 years to begin bearing fruit. During that time you will gain knowledge on a lot of different factors needed to produce superior quality fruit.When planting vines it is important to choose the variety that best suits your purpose. Certain varieties are more suitable for drying, some are most suitable for eating fresh and particular varieties are used for making wine. You will need to do some research or ask you local nursery which varieties meet your needs.Certain root stocks thrive better in different soils. Any qualified nursery shall be able to help choose the right plant for you. It is best to buy grape vine plantings from certified nurseries who are experienced and know how to graft. If the vine is not grafted onto correct stock or the bud has been taken off a dud cutting; there is a chance that it will not bear the fruit it should. It may even become very vigorous creating too much shade for the canes to mature, therefore disadvantage next years crop. Some nurseries only consider quantity not quality when making their cuttings, so before you buy look around and ask a few questions.A very important key to growing tasty healthy grapes is the quality of the soil. Your soil needs to have the right amount of nutrients to ensure healthy happy vines. Soil can be tested and analyzed by a qualified agronomists to give you advice on how to go about adjusting required nutrient levels in your soil. The best nutrient for your soil is organic matter, a very easy thing to provide by applying cover crops or manure. The reason being, nutrients found in the soil are depleted during the grapes development and need to be replenished at post harvest.A rich luscious soil gives your vines healthy roots for optimal growth. Your vines will thrive to produce an abundant amount of fruit year after year. However, take into consideration that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, resulting in problems as much as what a deficiency of nutrients would create.Drainage is an important aspect for growing grapes. Vines do not thrive in constantly wet ground. Eventually the nutrients in the soil will become leached out and the roots will not be able to resist excessive amounts of moisture resulting the vines to die.Air circulation is another important factor of growing grapes. Good air flow allows less chance of the vine to contract diseases, which sometimes are very difficult to control. The vines need to be supported with the correct trellising to enable air to circulate. It is essential to acknowledge air circulation to ensure the canes and buds absorb the required amount of nutrients from sunlight for the crop next year.Vines need to be controlled from pests and diseases with the use of fungicides and pesticides. Vines are particularly prone to fungal diseases in wet humid climates known as downy and powdery mildew. If not controlled, it can become as severe as losing the entire crop. Wet climates are also a thriving condition for pests such as slugs and snails which can, ruin your entire crop. Other pests known as light brown apple moth, long tailed mealy bug or mites, can devastate crops and grapevines. If they are not managed correctly, it can become a catastrophe.The final thing you need to know about growing grapes is pruning. Pruning vines is essential just like most fruit plantings. Once vines are dormant prune the vine appropriately, clean off unwanted canes and roll the new canes onto the trellising wires.Whether you are planting grapes for home use or you are planning to make it your business, growing your own grapes is such an achievement. Each different variety has it's own individual way of growing and producing. However, the one thing out of your hands is controlling the weather. If your crop is prone to humidity, hit by heavy rain or hail the grapes can be disastrous.